Kite Runner Unit Test 1/21 Flashcards
Simile
Comparison using like or as
ex: “My ribs snapping like tree branches.” (288)
Metaphor
A comparison not using like or as
ex: “His face was a mask of lunacy.” (289)
Allusion
A brief reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event that stimulates ideas
ex: “It was all blood money.” (Chapter 9) Jesus and Judas allisuon to Amir and Hassan
Kite=Blood Money
Personification
Giving a non-human object human qualities
ex: “They (kites) danced high above the trees.” (1)
Foil characters
A character that serves as a contrast to another character to point out specific traits of the primary character
ex: Amir and Hassan, Baba and Rahim Khan
Parallel Structure
Using the same pattern of words, phrases or clauses to show ideas have the same level of importance
ex: “I was Pashtun, he was Hazara, I was Sunni, he was Shi’a.” (25)
Displacement
The reassignment of feelings to a scapegoat in order to relieve tension
ex: “He was so goddamn pure you always felt like a phony around him.” This is Amir being mad at himself for feeling like a phony and not good enough but instead of recognizing his own shortcomings he chooses to blame Hassan
Projection
Bullying someone for a trait because you don’t want to recognize you have that trait yourself
ex: “Good morning, Kunis!’ Assef exclaimed, waving. (Gay slur) that was another one of his favorite insults.” (39) I think Assef might be gay and often calls others gay to try and deny that he himself is.
Denial
Having an awareness of something but denies the reality of it by pretending it doesn’t exist
ex: Hassan’s dream of the monster in the lake and there being no monster and everyone saying Amir and Hassan sultans of Kabul is him denying that Amir doesn’t treat him as his social equal
Symbolism of Kites
Kites in this book symbolize Amir’s past and the winter of 1975 for example in the first chapter of the book Amir is taking a walk in the park after Rahim Khan’s phone call and is thinking about his past. He says he feels like the kites are watching him and he is looking up at them. This represents how he feels like his past is haunting on him and he is also reflecting on it. Also at the end of the book he runs the kite for Sohrab showing how he is confronting his guilt and accepting himself for his wrongdoings.
Symbolism of Summer
Summer symbolizes warmth, happiness and ease
Ex: First chapter being set at end of Summer means end of happy time
Symbolism of Winter
Winter symbolizes cold, loneliness and despair
ex: The event that defined Amir being in the winter suggests to the reader that is was a dark and scary event and shaped him negativley
Symbolism of eyes
eyes in this book represent the characters personalities and intentions
ex: Assef’s eyes are described as bloodshot (281) Having bloodshot eyes is an uncommon thing and typically happens if someone is unwell or tried which represent how Assef is mentally disturbed and off in many ways
Symbolism of sea/ocean/water
Sea/ocean/ water symbolizes the unconscious
ex: “I could wade into the river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the water carry me someplace far. Some place with no ghosts, no memories, no sins” This moment is Amir reflecting on his new life in Amir and in the water in this moment symbolizes his unconscious and so he is saying that instead of confronting his memories he would rather avoid them and let himself drown in his guilt.
Symbolism of a mirror
Mirrors symbolize imagination, consciousness, self-contemplation and reflection and a distorted or broken mirrors symbolizes self-deception
ex: The shard of mirror that Hassan and Amir used to use to reflect sunlight into their neighbors windows symbolizes how the boys are lying to themselves about the reality of their realtionship because they do not see each other as equals. It also shows how Hassan is a reflection of Amir’s actions.
Hero Archetype
The Hero archetype is a character that attempts to redeem themselves or society. Despite the fact that the odds are against them they prevail and exhibit courage and goodness
ex: Amir has to redeem himself even though what he did was really bad and it has been years and Hassan is dead but he fights Assef (courage) and brings Sohrab back to America (goodness)
Scapegoat Archetype
A character that is blamed for something that is not their fault
ex: Amir consistently uses Hassan as a scapegoat for his own shortcomings and his anger about his relationship with Baba
Devil Archetype
The villain who represents evil, chaos and darkness. They are almost as strong as the hero and their appearance often includes contrasts or monstrous form.
ex: Assef is the devil archetype in Kite Runner he is descruved with many contrasts. The Taliban often wear black and brown but he wears a white shirt at the killing at the soccer game. He puts a black vest over this at the house which is a contrasting color. He is compared to Jesus but he is taking innocent people’s lives. He is also tall and broad-shouldered which makes him intimidating.
Syntax
The grammatical order of words and sentence structure that is shifted to create emphasis and connections
ex: The first chapter of Kite Runner second paragraph the hook is breezy and positive but the story quickly becomes more negative. There is a pattern of DC,IC. IC. but as the passage goes on the sentences become longer and more descriptibve to show there is more going on. Short sentences are used to highlight important information.
Diction
The authors use and choice of words
ex: On page 227 Assef describes killing people as “liberating” and that doing it helps him know he is “virtuous, good, and decent.” these adjectives as choice of words help highlight the irony of his statement
Ali
Hassan’s father (not biological), Sanaubar’s husband/cousin, Baba’s servant/friend for life
Amir
Narrator, Baba’s son, Hassan’s half brother, Soraya’s husband, Sohrab’s father figure
Assef
Raped Hassan, kidnapped Sohrab, killer, Taliban, beat up Amir, John Lennon sunglasses, psychopath, blond, blue eyes, mother is german, in prison for a while
Baba
Amir’s father, Hassan’s father (secret), dies of cancer, built orphanage, wife is Sofia, best friend Rahim Khan and Ali
General Taheri
Soraya’s father, Amir’s father in law, (first name Iqbal) decorated general in Kabul, worked for ministry of defense, goes back to Afghanistan for ministry position after 9/11, gets chronic migranes
Farid
Drives Amir to Kabul is friends with Rahim Kahn, brother is Wahid, at first says Amir is tourists then becomes his friend, helps him find Sohrab, stays with him in hospital (doctor is Armand) takes care of Sohrab for a little bit, beats up Zaman
Hassan
Amir’s half brother, the kite runner, gets raped, never knew Baba was his father, stem of Amir’s morality issues, wife is Farzanna, child is Sohrab, mother is Sanaubar, “father is Ali”
Kamal
father owned movie theater Assef’s friend, suffocates off of fumes from the truck on way to Pakistan, helps Assef rape Hassan, gets raped by 4 people, mother died, father kills himself after his death
Khala Jamila
Amir’s mother in law, Soraya’s mother, General Taheri’s wife, full name Khanum Taheri, great singer but General does not allow it, always supports Amir
Omar Faisal
Immagration lawyer that advises Amir about taking Sohrab to America, “dark, dimpled cheeks, black button eyes, and an affable gap toothed smile.”, unnecessarily apologizes a lot, suggests to send Sohrab back to the orphanage, recommended by Raymond Andrews
Rahim Khan
Baba’s and business partner, father figure to Amir, tells him the truth about Baba and Hassan brings him back to Afghanistan, encourages him to write, dies of sickness, wants to spend last days alone
“Children aren’t coloring books.”
“There is a way to be good again”
Sohrab
Hassan and Farzana’s son, second child bc first child was stillborn girl, Sohrab named after character in the Shanahmah, irony of Sohrab’s name is Hassan not knowing Baba was his father Amir and Hassan story also similar to Rostam and Sohrab, Sohrab self harms in bathroom of hotel, terrified or orphanges, doesn’t speak for months, sexually abused by Taliban (Assef?) Looks just like Hassan, plays panjupar
Soraya Taheri
Amir’s wife, General and Khala Jamila’s daughter, teacher, looks like Afghan princess, infertile, adopted mother of Sohrab, takes care of Baba when he is dying, was with a bad guy and was judged and ran away from home but recovered
Sanaubar
Hassan’s mother, Ali’s cousin/wife, had an affair with Baba, reputation for getting around, comes back just before Sohrab is born and admits that leaving was a mistake, loses her beauty, very involved in Sohrab’s life, Sohrab’s Sasa, made Sohrab gifts, ran off with troop of singers and dancers
Wali
Friends with Assef, helped rape Hassan, says his father said the rape was “sinful’
Zaman
Director of the orphanage where Sohrab was, sells kids to the Taliban to be sexually abused, orphanage has very little resources, beat up by Farid, tells Farid and Amir where to find Sohrab
The Flea Market
In San Jose on Sunday mornings, Baba and Amir sold junk that found at yard sales on Saturdays, Flea market has many Afghan families, where Amir first meets Soraya and the Taheri’s, where Baba collapses when the cancer starts to take over
Ghazi Stadium
Stadium in Kabul, often soccer games there, where Rahim Khan is hit by Taliban solider, where Farid and Amir watch Assef execute people during half-time of game
Lake Elizabeth Park
A park in Fremont, where Amir bring Sohrab, Soraya, and Khala Jamila to Afghan gathering, where Amir runs a kite for Sohrab
The pomegranate tree
A tree in the cemetery behind Amir’s house where Amir and Hassan used to read stories, tree has “Amir and Hassan Sultans of Kaul” carved into it, where Amir asks Hassan to throw pomegranates at him and throws pomegranates at Hassan, Hassan goes there to think after Sanubar returns, Amir has to visit there when Farid takes him back to the house
Shah Faisal Mosque
Biggest Mosque in the world, where Sohrab runs away from hotel room with Amir, Mr. Fayyaz helps him find it, Sohrab has deep conversation with Amir about his parents, says he feels dirty (about rape), Amir suggests Sohrab coming to live with him in America
The Hero Cycle
A common story line where the hero goes through various stages of experiences to grow and become a better person. During this journey they will have to travel through a real or metaphorical world of darkness “belly of the whale” The cycle involves many difficult obstacles for the hero to overcome
ex: Amir has to go through a lot of character development to become a better person (making mistakes, admitting to them and growing) then he goes back to Kabul (world of darkness) and overcomes a lot of obstacles to ultimately become a better person
